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Topic Review (Newest First)

03-14-2013 09:02 AM

hellosailor

Re: Life Raft Purchase

Nice pool float but not terriby suitable as a marine life raft. I'd rather buy a gumby suit if I was going to hang out that way.

03-13-2013 11:04 PM

MedSailor

Re: Life Raft Purchase

An alternative idea for the OP might be to buy one of these one man liferafts. Not up to the specifications you wanted, but it comes in a wearable harness, or packed in a very small bag and as a travelling crew, it would be easy to pack along. You could even bring one along for the captain too and still be way ahead on the price of a "real" raft.

They come in 2 year service interval "loose pack" models that you could play around with and become familiar with. They also have hermetically sealed 5 year service interval models.

Jeez, smurph. the last thing I want is laws against gouging. Leave the gouging alone, and give me one a those lucrative permits to gouge! I want my piece of the pie!

03-13-2013 06:08 PM

smurphny

Re: Life Raft Purchase

This being a basic safety issue, you would think there would be gouging laws against this kind of abuse. Commercial boats, being required to bend over the barrel, get the worst of it. I wonder who in government has the brother-in-law in the raft servicing business? You can bet politics are ultimately behind this kind of legalized theft.

03-13-2013 11:01 AM

hellosailor

Re: Life Raft Purchase

Reminds me of the bottle of aspirin I used up last week.

Marked 99c/100 pills, from a national chain, and when I looked around for a new bottle, the local chains all wanted more like six bucks, even for generics. Amazon would sell me 300 for $5, I just don't need that many and my friends have their own. And then there was WalMart, where I found another bottle of 100 for 99c.

Of course a hospital would bill Medicare about two fifty for one aspirin.

Just doesn't seem right, does it? Supply and demand should only go so far, for half the price of a new raft, they should at least include a couple of vinyl sex dolls or some decent whiskey so folks could party in there, shouldn't they? You know, like Crackerjacks, put on a label "Surprise inside!".

One can only wonder if a lot of repack places have been held liable in court, because you just KNOW their excuse is going to be "well, our insurance costs so much...".

I know, it is what it is. and that's still obscene unless it included a full dozen SOLAS parachute flares, along with the whiskey.

03-13-2013 04:50 AM

Minnewaska

Re: Life Raft Purchase

I've tried to find my invoice from Winslow two years ago on my recert. It was in the neighborhood of $1,000. I know I have it somewhere, but its hiding. They detailed everything they did and the supplies they replaced and it was two pages long.

03-12-2013 09:49 PM

hellosailor

Re: Life Raft Purchase

Wow. A thousand bucks would cover replacement of a lot of SOLAS pyros. A hydro and hazmat shipping to return the gas cylinder. Hand polishing the crystal chandelier...And still only half the price of a new 4-person raft. (Cough, cough.)

Did they give you any breakdown on that?

03-12-2013 02:54 PM

smurphny

Re: Life Raft Purchase

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonEisberg

I don't disagree, and as I said, there is nothing to prevent anyone from attempting to perform this service on their own raft... Of course it's not brain surgery, but then neither is something like bleeding or adjusting the valve clearance on a diesel engine... And yet, there sure seem to be no shortage of sailors out there who appear to be incapable of doing so... (grin)

I was simply pointing out that marketing and selling liferafts as "user-serviceable" by the general public would not appear to be a sound business strategy by a company in the survival equipment business, not to mention the acceptance of such servicing by the CG, or authorities that regulate offshore racing events/cruising rallies, etc, where liferafts may be required equipment...

Again, for anyone who wants to service their raft themselves, have at it... Let Google be your guide, I'm sure there is no shortage of experts on sailing forums out there who will tell you how it's done... (grin)

Sorry Jon, I wasn't disagreeing with you. My raft (Offshore Commander) is just due. I have received quotes of $1000 to renew inspection. I guess there must be asses for every seat but that's not one I'm going to be sitting in:-) How many man-hours of actual work is required, maybe...maybe 3 plus replacement of dated items? I'd be willing to pay someone $50/hr.=$150+parts. Fair value of maybe 4-500 bucks. Repacking myself, I'd rather spend $ upgrading the flares and whatever else is squooshed in there and maybe even put an EPIRB in.

03-12-2013 01:01 PM

jameswilson29

Re: Life Raft Purchase

Quote:

Originally Posted by SVAuspicious

I started posting at SailNet again at the express request of some of the moderators. I remember now why I faded away.

I always appreciate your posts, which are very informative and useful.

03-12-2013 11:03 AM

JonEisberg

Re: Life Raft Purchase

Quote:

Originally Posted by smurphny

If you can find out the right procedures to service a raft yourself, I don't see any reason a capable person would not be able to do this him/herself. The prices the dealers want to perform this service are simply outrageous. It's akin to printer companies who gouge you for ink cartridges. The only difference is that they don't give liferafts away. I have found that capable people often do BETTER jobs on things they care about than "professionals." The service guy who does your raft may have a headache, may have had an argument with his wife, or may just be having a bad day. When you do something like this yourself, you know damned well you're not going to cut any corners and are going to be careful. There may be equipment like vacuum bagging equipment that you just don't have access to but other than that, this does not seem to be brain surgery.

I don't disagree, and as I said, there is nothing to prevent anyone from attempting to perform this service on their own raft... Of course it's not brain surgery, but then neither is something like bleeding or adjusting the valve clearance on a diesel engine... And yet, there sure seem to be no shortage of sailors out there who appear to be incapable of doing so... (grin)

I was simply pointing out that marketing and selling liferafts as "user-serviceable" by the general public would not appear to be a sound business strategy by a company in the survival equipment business, not to mention the acceptance of such servicing by the CG, or authorities that regulate offshore racing events/cruising rallies, etc, where liferafts may be required equipment...

Again, for anyone who wants to service their raft themselves, have at it... Let Google be your guide, I'm sure there is no shortage of experts on sailing forums out there who will tell you how it's done... (grin)

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